The girl is bold, Blaise thought quickly as he registered that Hermione Granger had just thrown open the doors of the Great Hall and was commanding a halt to the torture of Draco. Chaos erupted around him as death eaters lurched forward, every one of them wild with the desire to be the one to catch her. Voldemort did not look surprised, merely angry. Blaise took his time studying Voldemort's face in this moment. Blaise had always been adept at being the calm in the middle of madness and taking his time to absorb and think. He looked to Voldemort's eyes, they were dark and heavily hooded with wrinkled lids. The greenish hue to his skin was disconcerting, and the vein throbbing across his forehead and left temple looked aggravated, raised, and ugly. The image was frightening to most, but Blaise could see through him. The world around him saw a cruel, intelligent, cunning man, one capable of mass destruction and terribly great things. But Blaise had watched him descend into instability over the last few years and knew the sun would begin to set on Voldemort soon enough. He lacked conviction, was fickle in his pursuits and allowed obsession to turn his ideas to lack luster fool's errand's.
"Zabini, Dolohov, Nott, Flint," Voldemort commanded. "Stay with the blood traitor and await me while I tend to the mudblood. I am not surprised the mudblood would feel it is her noble duty to stop the justice of the blood traitor. It will be her imprudent nature that undoes her." He finished, almost a whisper. It will be your capricious nature that undoes you, Blaise thought smugly.
Blaise watched as Voldemort stalked out of the hall, his robes dragging on the stone floor. Some Death Eaters flanked him as he made his way towards the entrance. A mismatch of students, the ones who hadn't taken off after Granger, stood milling around in the Great Hall, looking unsure of what to do next. When Voldemort passed them, they shrunk away. They are right to be afraid. If she escapes again, more will die tonight.
Blaise reflected on the last time Voldemort had been in a rage, it was not long ago. Voldemort had been fanatical with locating Neville Longbottom, to get back the Sword of Gryffindor. Voldemort had been irate to discover that although they had taken Longbottom captive, he was not in possession of the sword. The Dark Lord had almost ripped apart the dungeon they were in when Longbottom had told him that the sword must be presented during an act of courage, so Voldemort would never have the opportunity to obtain it. Voldemort himself had traveled to the House of Black to try and find it, even tearing walls apart, but the Sword was nowhere to be found. Students had died that day. And yet Longbottom lived, albeit he had lost an eye during the rage he put Voldemort in. Blaise was quite certain that once the sword was procured, Longbottom would be disposed of. He was not sure what was planned for Lovegood, but she was still alive as well, and so was Moody, and the Weasley brothers that had been captured. But for how long?
Blaise pushed the thoughts aside. There was much to do, with such a grand opportunity unfolding in front of him. He turned to face Draco, as Nott was landing a kick to his back.
"Oye," Nott said, "Your little girlfriend is here to save the day, isn't she?" Nott laughed, kicking Draco again.
"Merlin, I hope we get a turn with her before the Dark Lord kills her, yea?" Flint said to Dolohov, above Draco's head. Blaise watched as Draco's face reddened. Blaise did not move from his sport, nor did he say anything to the group around him.
He crossed his arms within his robes, covering them completely with the dark, heavy material. He watched as the Dolohov summoned a chair and sat.
"Students," Dolohov commanded. "return to your bloody dorms. If you see the mudblood find a Death Eater." He waved his hand towards the students and they began to file out. "I'm so bloody tired, I wish we could kill the git and go to sleep," Dolohov yawned leaning back in his chair.
Him first…. Blaise decided. He had his wand in his hand beneath his sleeve and moved it so slightly it would only look as if he were shifting his arms within his robes to anyone paying attention. The air seemed to still around Blaise as he concentrated. Nonverbal magic was a specialty of his, but the ultimate test of that strength would be here, now. Imperio he thought with great concentration, willing every atom in his body to conform to the spell, join it, energize it through his fingertips. He pictured a rushing river, filling Dolohov with water. Dolohov seemed to go slack within his chair. Be still and silent. Blaise commanded, both nonverbally and using his legilimens ability. Dolohov looked down to the ground and said nothing. Blaise looked to Draco, who was eyeing him curiously through both of his blackened eyes.
"Zabini have you ever considered what mudblood cunny would feel like?" Flint smirked at him, summoning a chair of his own. "I imagine it's tight, I mean as long as Krum never had a turn." With that, Nott laughed loudly.
"Draco is she tight then?" Nott asked after he stopped laughing. "Might have to send Pansy away for a little while aye lads?" He winked at Blaise. Blaise merely smirked. He was good at masking his face and portraying expressions that could be interpreted in whatever way the viewer chose. He held back a grimace.
"Nott, mate, to hear Pansy tell it, you haven't the hardware required," Draco said smoothly, as if they were all just mates having a pint together. Blaise had to refrain from reacting outwardly. There's that Draco repartee.
Nott didn't respond, he just showed his boot into Draco's head and kicked him away.
"Have you forgotten how worthless the Malfoy name is now? You should watch your mouth," Flint said, spitting on Draco. "Dolohov d'you plan to sleep all night then?"
Blaise was quick. He flicked his wand under his robes and Dolohov raised his hand dismissively to Flint. Blaise glanced toward the entrance doors.
He angled his wand towards Nott within his robes. Imperio he thought, willing the curse to bind to Nott and drown him within its depth. Nott's face scrunched up, and for a second Blaise thought he would fight it. Blaise imagined a arrow, flying sure and confident through the air and penetrating Nott's forehead. Nott's face went blank, he stopped fighting. Summon a chair and sit beside Dolohov. Say he has the right idea, and you will rest until the Dark Lord returns.
"Dolohov has the right idea," Nott said, almost without personality. "I think I will rest until the Dark Lord returns." He summoned a chair, but it seemed to almost take too long.
"You're a dull lot," Flint said flippantly, reclining in his own chair, but a yawn passed his lips now as well.
Only Blaise stood standing now, but he preferred it that way. Draco was still between them, his eyes closed. Blaise weighed his options. One of them would have to be the traitor now. Pansy would not believe it was Nott. He contemplated his options, feeling the sand of time slip by. It was time to be decisive.
He focused on Flint now. Sweat beaded from his temples, and his shoulders were sore. Imperio he thought, pulling from the very last of his mental reserves. Tonight had been taxing on him. He had used his own Occlumency skills to keep Voldemort out of Draco's head for the entirety of the evening, and that had been exhausting work. Coupled with him doing the same for Granger the night before, he had felt that he was spreading himself too thin. He focused his mind, his soul, onto this curse. He visualized a burst of air from Blaise to Flint, that blew Flint's will away. Amazingly, it caught hold of Flint and Flint's face turned expressionless.
"Draco," Blaise said lowly, so quietly that none of the portraits around could hear him. "There is a broom leaned against the eastern wall of the courtyard. Tied to it is a parchment."
Draco slowly looked at all the faces around him, and then looked at Blaise with a perplexed expression. When none of the wizards around them reacted, a dawning look of realization spread across his face. He nodded at Blaise.
Blaise flicked his wand, now out of his robes. He had a suspicion that they would not catch Granger, and needed to prepare for Draco's escape.
"Flint," Blaise said, flicking his wand to the imperiused wizard. "You need to untie Draco and set him free. You want him to survive and be free. You need to attack Dolohov, Nott and I. You may casts and unforgivable curse at them, but not me. Every spell you cast must not hit me. You will start this as soon as you see Death Eaters walk through the entrance."